My Top 25: Postseason

This post will be the final one for this blog.  It has been a pleasure to write on here for the past 6 months and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  And with the college football season wrapped up it seems to be a natural time to close the blog.  I want to thank everyone who read the blog for your support.  I couldn't have done it without you.


That being said, here is my final Top 25 for the season.  2010 was a great and unpredictable year of college football.  We have a deserving and worthy national champion in Auburn (even though it may get taken away in a couple of years) and there is lots of young talent that promises to make 2011 even better.


Thank you once again for reading the blog!


25. (Last Week: NR) North Carolina State (9-4)
24. (Last Week: NR) Maryland (9-4)
23. (Last Week: 19) South Carolina (9-5)
22. (Last Week: 21) Utah (10-3)
21. (Last Week: 17) Nebraska (10-4)
20. (Last Week: 16) Texas A&M (9-4)
19. (Last Week: 14) Missouri (10-3)
18. (Last Week: 24) Central Florida (11-3)
17. (Last Week: 7) Michigan State (11-2)
16. (Last Week: 22) Mississippi State (9-4)
15. (Last Week: 18) Florida State (10-4)
14. (Last Week: 11) Virginia Tech (11-3)
13. (Last Week: 20) Alabama (10-3)
12. (Last Week: 15) Oklahoma State (11-2)
11. (Last Week: 10) Arkansas (10-3)
10. (Last Week: 13) Oklahoma (12-2)
9. (Last Week: 5) Wisconsin (11-2)
8. (Last Week: 12) LSU (11-2)
7. (Last Week: 9) Boise State (12-1)
6. (Last Week: 8) Nevada (13-1)
5. (Last Week: 6) Ohio State (12-1)
4. (Last Week: 4) Stanford (12-1)
3. (Last Week: 3) Oregon (12-1)
2. (Last Week: 2) TCU (13-0)
1. (Last Week: 1) Auburn (14-0)



Dropped Out: Connecticut, Hawaii

Predicting the Independence Bowl

I have written about every Georgia Tech game of the year, so there is no reason to stop now.  In roughly fifteen minutes, the Yellow Jackets and the Air Force Falcons will face off in Shreveport, LA, in the Independence Bowl.  This game is a match-up of two eerily similar teams since both run the triple option.  That will be play to Tech's advantage since the Jackets are usually at a disadvantage in bowls due to the fact that the option is much easier to stop with ample preparation.  Most prognosticators say this game will be a snooze fest since it features two of the nation's more predictable offenses.  I think it will be much more explosive since both teams have had plenty of time to install new plays.  I expect Paul Johnson to open the game with a trick play or at least as pass.  In the end, Tech's superior recruiting should overcome Air Force's precision.  I encourage you to tune it and watch it at 5 pm on ESPN2.  Georgia Tech 34, Air Force 29

College Football Pick-Em: Bowl Edition

After a two week hiatus, here are my picks for bowl season.  As the bigger bowls come up, I will do score predictions and analysis for them.  So far, I am 2-2, as I correctly predicted Louisville and BYU's wins, but missed on the other two. Tonight, Boise State plays Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.  Utah's only chance to beat the Broncos went out the window when Jordan Wynn went down with a shoulder injury.  Boise State is out to prove they are a Top 5 team despite their loss to Nevada.  Tonight in Vegas, that is how they will play.  Boise State 45, Utah 21 (Be sure to vote in the poll!)


December 19th

New Mexico Bowl: Brigham Young over UTEP

Humanitarian Bowl: Fresno State over Northern Illinois

New Orleans Bowl: Ohio over Troy

December 21st

St. Petersburg Bowl: Louisville over Southern Mississippi

December 22nd

Las Vegas Bowl: Boise State over Utah

December 23rd

Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State over Navy

December 24th

Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii over Tulsa

December 26th

Little Caesars Bowl: Toledo over FIU

December 27th

Independence Bowl: Georgia Tech over Air Force

December 28th

Champs Sports Bowl: NC State over West Virginia

Insight Bowl: Missouri over Iowa

December 29th

Military Bowl: Maryland over East Carolina

Texas Bowl: Baylor over Illinois

Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma State over Arizona

December 30th

Armed Forces Bowl: SMU over Army

Pinstripes Bowl: Kansas State over Syracuse

Music City Bowl: North Carolina over Tennessee

Holiday Bowl: Nebraska over Washington

December 31st

Meineke Car Care Bowl: Clemson over South Florida

Sun Bowl: Notre Dame over Miami

Liberty Bowl: UCF over Georgia

Chick-fil-A Bowl: Florida State over South Carolina

January 1st

TicketCity Bowl: Texas Tech over Northwestern

Outback Bowl: Penn State over Florida

Capital One Bowl: Alabama over Michigan State

Gator Bowl: Mississippi State over Michigan

Rose Bowl: TCU over Wisconsin

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma over Connecticut

January 3rd

Orange Bowl: Stanford over Virginia Tech

January 4th

Sugar Bowl: Ohio State over Arkansas

January 6th

GoDaddy.com Bowl: Miami (OH) over Middle Tennessee

January 7th

Cotton Bowl: LSU over Texas A&M

January 8th

BBVA Compass Bowl: Kentucky over Pittsburgh

January 9th

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Nevada over Boston College

January 10th

BCS Championship Game: Auburn over Oregon

Bowl Record: 2-2
Overall Record: 45-28

My Top 25: Week 14

Here are my final rankings until the end of bowl season.  The Big East finally has a ranked team again, as UConn is now #25.

25. (Last Week: NR) Connecticut (8-4)
24. (Last Week: NR) Central Florida (10-3)
23. (Last Week: 23) Hawaii (10-3)
22. (Last Week: 22) Mississippi State (8-4)
21. (Last Week: 21) Utah (10-2)
20. (Last Week: 20) Alabama (9-3)
19. (Last Week: 18) South Carolina (9-4)
18. (Last Week: 17) Florida State (9-4)
17. (Last Week: 13) Nebraska (10-3)

16. (Last Week: 19) Texas A&M (9-3)
15. (Last Week: 16) Oklahoma State (10-2)
14. (Last Week: 14) Missouri (10-2)

13. (Last Week: 15) Oklahoma (11-2)
12. (Last Week: 12) LSU (10-2)
11. (Last Week: 11) Virginia Tech (11-2)
10. (Last Week: 10) Arkansas (10-2) 
9. (Last Week: 9) Boise State (11-1)
8. (Last Week:8) Nevada (12-1)
7. (Last Week: 7) Michigan State (11-1)

6. (Last Week: 6) Ohio State (11-1) 
5. (Last Week: 5) Wisconsin (11-1)
4. (Last Week: 4) Stanford (11-1) 
3. (Last Week: 3) Oregon (12-0)

2. (Last Week: 1) TCU (12-0)
1. (Last Week: 2) Auburn (13-0)

Dropped Out: Arizona, Northern Illinois

College Football Pick-Em: Week 14

Here are the picks for Week 14:

ACC Championship Game: Virginia Tech vs. Florida State (in Charlotte)- I have picked the Seminoles to win every game this year and I don't see any reason to change that now.  Both of these teams enter this game super hot.  Virginia Tech is riding a ten game winning streak.  And FSU has won three in a row and just routed Florida.  On paper, the Hokies should win, but I am taking my 'Noles in an upset.  Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 24

SEC Championship Game: South Carolina vs. Auburn (in Atlanta)- One of the hardest things to do in footbal is beat a good team twice in one year.  However, Auburn showed in the second half of last week's game just how special of a team they are.  The Gamecocks will need to play better than they did in their upset of Alabama in order to beat the Tigers.  And with Cam Newton on the opposing sideline, even that might not be enough.  Auburn 38, South Carolina 35

Big 12 Championship Game: Oklahoma vs. Nebraska (in JerryWorld)- In the final Big 12 title game, it is only appropriate that these old Big 8 rivals play one another.  Oklahoma has won nearly half of all the Big 12 title games played.  And Nebraska would love nothing more than to take the Big 12 title with them to the Big Ten next year.  Oklahoma finally seems to be able to play as well on the road as they do at home, but Nebraska's combination of an explosive offense and suffocating defense will lead them to a Big 12 victory one last time.  Nebraska 31, Oklahoma 28

Upset Special: Oregon at Oregon State- I am picking this upset not because I believe it will happen, but because I want it to happen.  I like the Beavers and for the past two years the Ducks have beaten them in the Civil War and denied them a Rose Bowl berth.  Its time for the Beavers to return the favor.  And this Beavers' team is no stranger to upsetting dominate teams.  Two years ago, they knocked off #1 USC in Corvallis.  That's where this game is played too.  Oregon State 23, Oregon 21

Week 12 Record: 3-2
Overall Record: 42-23

My Top 25: Week 13

What a week!  Auburn's rally against Alabama is the stuff champions are made of.  And Nevada's upset of Boise State was one of the most excruciating and exciting games I 've ever watched.  Due to this outcome, Nevada rises all the way to #9 and Boise State drops to #10.  It pains me to drop Boise so low because I still believe they would beat any team in the nation on a neutral field.  However, we can only judge football teams based on the results on the field, so for at least one week, they must be lower than Nevada.  On a related note, congratulations to the WAC for having two Top 10 teams.  I had an extremely hard time trying to decide who to rank #1, Auburn or TCU. The Horned Frogs have won every game this season in impressive fashion and look the part of a #1 team.  However, Auburn's comeback on the road against the defending national champions was extremely impressive.  Currently, TCU rises to #1 and Auburn to #2.  However, if the Tigers win the SEC next week in Atlanta, they will replace TCU at the top heading into bowl season.


Elsewhere in the rankings, rivalry week caused some movement.  Alabama dropped all the way to #20 after blowing their lead against Auburn.  Florida State jumped to #17 on the strength of their blowout of Florida.  LSU and Oklahoma State both dropped due to losses to other Top 25 teams.  And North Carolina State and Iowa both fell from the Top 25 after being upset.  Replacing them are Hawaii and Northern Illinois.  Hawaii is 9-3 and gave new Top 10 team Nevada their only loss.  Northern Illinois is 10-2 and is riding an 8 game winning streak.  Here is this week's Top 25 (Be sure to vote in this week's poll about upsets):


25. (Last Week: 23) Arizona (7-4)
24. (Last Week: NR) Northern Illinois (10-2)
23. (Last Week: NR) Hawaii (9-3)
22. (Last Week: 24) Mississippi State (8-4)
21. (Last Week: 21) Utah (10-2)
20. (Last Week: 11) Alabama (9-3)
19. (Last Week: 19) Texas A&M (9-3)
18. (Last Week: 18) South Carolina (9-3)
17. (Last Week: 20) Florida State (9-3)
16. (Last Week: 10) Oklahoma State (10-2)
15. (Last Week: 16) Oklahoma (10-2)
14. (Last Week: 15) Missouri (10-2)

13. (Last Week: 14) Nebraska (10-2)
12. (Last Week: 7) LSU (10-2)
11. (Last Week: 13) Virginia Tech (10-2)
10. (Last Week: 12) Arkansas (10-2) 
9. (Last Week: 1) Boise State (10-1)
8. (Last Week:17) Nevada (11-1)
7. (Last Week: 9) Michigan State (11-1)

6. (Last Week: 8) Ohio State (11-1) 
5. (Last Week: 6) Wisconsin (11-1)
4. (Last Week: 5) Stanford (11-1) 
3. (Last Week: 4) Oregon (11-0)

2. (Last Week: 3) Auburn (12-0)
1. (Last Week: 2) TCU (12-0)

Dropped Out: Iowa, North Carolina State

College Football Pick-Em: Week 13

What an unbelievable comeback by Auburn!  Cam Newton was beyond unbelievable in this second half.  Here are the picks for Week 13:

Georgia Tech at Georgia- I've picked the Jackets every game this year so there is no reason to change now.  Tech will push their winning streak in Athens to two and deny the Bulldogs bowl eligibility.  Georgia Tech 35, Georgia 32

Florida at Florida State- One program is on the upswing and the other is fading.  The Seminoles will end their six game losing streak to the Gators.  Florida State 29, Florida 17

Boise State at Nevada- Nevada will play the Broncos closer than any team since at least Oregon State, but Boise's defense is the best in the nation.  Boise State 44, Nevada 29

South Carolina at Clemson- This game is remarkable similar to the Gamecocks' upset of the Tigers last year.  However, Marcus Lattimore is a game changing talent and he will make sure the Gamecocks come out on top heading into their showdown with Auburn.  South Carolina 28, Clemson 24

Upset Special: North Carolina State at Maryland- This pick is more hopeful than anything else, but if the Terrapins knock off the Wolfpack, Florida State will play for the ACC title.  Go Turtles!  Maryland 21, North Carolina State 17


Week 12 Record: 4-1
Overall Record: 39-21